Kenya Lionesses Seek to Dethrone South Africa in Africa Women's Sevens

The Kenya Lionesses are set to compete in the Africa Women's Sevens in Nairobi, seeking to claim their second continental title and end South Africa's dominance. The South African team, known as the Blazeboks, have won a record 13 Rugby Africa Women's Sevens titles, with their latest victory being a 22-0 win over Kenya at the RFUEA grounds in Nairobi last year.

The Lionesses have previously won the title in 2018, while Tunisia's Eagles of Carthage took the title in 2012. In eight finals against the Blazeboks, Kenya have yet to emerge victorious. This year's tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the World Rugby Division III, which will take place in Dubai from November 27-29. The top two teams from Dubai will qualify for the 2027 World Rugby Division II.

The South African team is coached by former international Cecil Afrika, who has opted to give new players some valuable experience. Vianca Boer, who has World Rugby Sevens experience, will be eager to guide the team to another successive title defence. Afrika stated that the final selection of the squad was not easy and that they will use this opportunity to develop and expose new players to an international tournament.

The Kenya Lionesses have a mix of experienced and new players, including debutante Cathrine Elizabeth, and Judith Auma and Yvette Okech, who are making a return after a long sabbatical due to injuries. Co-captain Stella Wafula noted that the team will take every duel like a final and that they cannot focus solely on South Africa, as other rivals such as Tunisia and Madagascar have vastly improved.

The Lionesses are in Pool "B" with Tunisia and Ghana, while South Africa are in Pool "A" with Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. The top two teams in each pool and the two best-ranked third-placed teams will advance to the quarter-finals. Tickets for the tournament are available for Sh500 and Sh1,000 and can be obtained on tikohub.com.

The tournament schedule includes several matches, with Madagascar facing Mauritius and Uganda taking on Burkina Faso in the opening games. The Lionesses will play Ghana, and South Africa will face Rwanda. Other matches include Zambia vs Zimbabwe, and Kenya vs Tunisia.

The Africa Women's Sevens will provide a platform for teams to test their skills and prepare for the World Rugby Division III. With several strong teams competing, the tournament is expected to be highly competitive, and the Kenya Lionesses will look to make their mark and achieve a positive result.

Key points

• The Kenya Lionesses are seeking to end South Africa's 13-title winning streak in the Africa Women's Sevens.
• The tournament serves as a qualifier for the World Rugby Division III, which will take place in Dubai from November 27-29.
• The Kenya Lionesses have a mix of experienced and new players, including debutante Cathrine Elizabeth, and Judith Auma and Yvette Okech, who are making a return after a long sabbatical due to injuries.